1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to tools for manipulating electrical connectors.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
Various applications may present situations in which the disengagement of electrical headers and receptacles may be difficult. For example, it has been suggested that PCMCIA headers may be connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) by means of a flex cable having a terminal header which mates with a receptacle mounted on the PCB. The advantage to such an arrangement is that the PCMCIA assembly may be placed in a system essentially without regard to PCB location. At some locations on the PCB, however, the connector may be awkwardly positioned for the purpose of disengaging the header from the receptacle. Consequently, in such cases the disengagement of the header and receptacle may be accomplished only with difficulty. Furthermore, when attempts are made to disengage a combination receptacle and flex cable from a board mounted receptacle, it is found that the flex cable may be inadvertently torn or removed from the header.
A need, therefore, exists for means of quickly, easily and efficiently unmating an unshrouded header from a receptacle mounted on a PCB. A need also exists for a means for unmating a header which is attached to a flex cable from a receptacle so that neither the connector itself or the flex cable is likely to be damaged during the unmating procedure.